Key takeaways
- One clog is an event, repeat clogs are a symptom.
- Roots, grease, scale and low spots cause most repeat clogs.
- A camera shows which one you have.
- Jetting, lining or repair fix the cause, not just the stoppage.
The usual suspects
Most repeat main line clogs fall into four groups. Roots enter through joints in older clay and cast iron pipe. Grease coats the walls and narrows the line. Scale, which is rust that blisters inside cast iron, catches paper. And a low spot, or belly, holds water and collects solids in the same place every time.
Flushed items such as wipes, paper towels and feminine products also cause trouble, because they do not break down. A single cable pass can open the line for a few weeks, and then the same cause closes it again.
How a camera settles the question
A camera inspection turns the guess into a picture. You can see roots at a joint, scale on the wall or a pool of water at a low spot, and the camera tells you how far from the cleanout it is. In many Nashville neighborhoods with mature trees and older pipe, roots are the answer.
Knowing the cause also tells you the fix. Roots call for cutting and perhaps lining, grease and scale call for jetting and a schedule and a low spot calls for a spot repair. Without the picture, you are paying for the same cleaning over and over.
Breaking the cycle
Match the fix to the cause. Jetting restores the pipe's full size, lining seals joints against roots and a spot repair fixes a belly. For houses with big trees and old pipe, a yearly or every-other-year cleaning is often cheaper than emergency calls.
Small habits help too: only toilet paper in the toilet, grease in the trash and a drain strainer in the kitchen. They will not fix a damaged pipe, but they keep a good one clear.
Related services
Quick answers
How often should I have my main line cleaned?
A line with no problems may never need it, while one with roots or scale may need cleaning every year or two. A camera inspection helps set the schedule.
Can a clogged main line fix itself?
Sometimes a partial clog moves along and the drains return to normal, but the cause usually stays and the clog returns. Treat a repeat slowdown as a warning.
Ready to talk it through? Get a free estimate or call 615-209-7643.